Darkest Butterfly
by Lonesome Sage
Summary: A graveyard, a dead clown and a handful misfortunate souls. One slip, a single difference, was all it took to change the course of fate, and push them all to their breaking point. And now the true test – hold fast, or expire.
1. Prologue: Disturbing Divergence

_**Greetings, dear readers,**_

 _ **I have resumed writing, and while I haven't given up on my other story, this one will take priority for now. Sorry for keeping you waiting, but life is messy and confusing and wonderful. Now then, a fair warning, this story is not for the faint of heart, I make no predictions how gruesome or twisted it will get, things may even take a turn for the perverse, but if you stick with our heroes they may just make it through.**_

 _ **Disclaimer for the whole Fanfic: I own nether Darkest dungeon nor Star vs. the forces of evil.**_

 _ **This Story branches off from the season 2 episode "Bon Bon the birthday clown"**_

 _ **If you feel like it, you can watch that Episode again, until the point where Marco says... wait for it...  
**_

* * *

 **Prolouge: Disturbing Divergence  
**

"I'm not letting go!" Marco declared firmly.

Star gazed at her dearest companion with supressed terror, residual guilt, a desire to save at least him, and a pang of grattitude. Her features were highlited in the sickening green glow of the abyss behind her, pulling her in with sheer inexorable force. The two of them felt a rush of hope when Jackie and Janna added themselves to the chain of would be saviours, and they began pulling with all their combined might.

Just when they mabe an inch of progress backwards, Marco felt the hand of his bestie slipping, his heart lept, his knuckles turned even whiter as he expunged the last of his strength to save her, but the sweat of terror that greased their hands knew no mercy.

"STAR!" Calling her name in desperation was all he could do, as she slipped irrevocably. Tears filled their locked gazes just before the tips of her fingers left him, sending the princess hurtling backwards, to be to be devoured by an unknown beyond.

Not a fraction of a moment too soon, the portal to nowhere closed in an instant blinding flash, knocking all of them to the cold soil.

The confusion settled as slow as the dust around them. The hispanic's adrenaline levels were about to subside, when his dizzy mind comprehended the terrible noise that pierced the night. He looked up to see his dear Star wringing strangled cries from her painfully contorted face, her fingernails digging into the earth to the point of splintering. Propping himself up to look at her form was all it took for any relief about her not being sucked in to morph into abject horror. Star was writhing miserably, because her legs were missing from the hem of her dress down, and her royal blood was pooling rapidly behind her.

* * *

 _ **The die is cast, now only time will tell what will come of it.  
**_

 _ **Every review and criticism is greatly appreciated**_


	2. When nightmare and reality collide,

_**When nightmare and reality collide, what is left?**_

* * *

What broke the moment of stupor was Janna dashing past all of them, Jackie in tow. The beanie-bearer clamped down on one of Star's stumps with all of her might, and the seashell-wearer, reading the situation correctly through all the stress, followed her example. With trembling hands, but also mortal determination not to let his friend go, Marco retrieved the Dimentional scissors from the Butterfy's star-shaped pouch.

Her form was now limp and deathly pale, her mewman body pushed to the brink, as Diaz hoped against hope that there was still a chance. He had to get this right in one go. He tore open a portal behind him, and grabbed onto Star's lifeless arms. They rushed, and all of this happened within mere moments, but they felt so terribly sluggish in the face of this nightmare.

"With me!" he choked, and lifting her up by what remained of her limbs, the three of them carried her body through, with Marco pulling the lot of them with the strength of desperation.

* * *

Mewnie Castle, throne room

Moon tapped her foot silently under the hem of her long puffy dress, as she was feigning interest in the matter at hand. Having informed herself, her decision was already made. Now it was just a matter of letting a few nobles make their cases, however petty, so they do not feel left out of the loop. Procedures weren't always this dull, but sometimes the Diplomatic way could be quite tiresome, however necessary.

A sideways glance told her that her husband River was more preocupied with practicing his throne posture than the issue before him. On any other day she would have admonished him for his inattentiveness, but she could hardly blame him now.

A quiet sigh escaped her.

Her thoughts wandered back to her daughter Star, living out the last of her childhood on earth, while training her magic in a safer environment. No matter how much her unrefined demeanor, rebellious nature and short attention span had irked her in the past, she often missed her lively presence, and her creative surges around the castle, and she knew River did even more, even through his best attempts to appear resolute. What fresh new little adventure was she on this time? The queen did wonder. Secretly, some part of her looked forward to those "Mom I messed up, but don't want to admit it."-mirror calls, because then she could forget her duties as queen for a moment, and be part of her daughter's life. She put away those thoughts, when she noticed it was time for her to give her decision.

"Thank you all for coming to this hall to help elucidate these matters, however-"

Her speech was cut short by a disturbance among the assembled men and women of status, when a dimensional rift she thought she recognized opened among them. People stumbled away, and the royal guard encircled it, weapons at the ready.

Out stumbled a young man that Moon recognized as the roommate of her daughter, Marco Diaz was his name? Gasps and murmurs filled the room. Closely after him he pulled... Star? But what was wrong with...?

"B-by the heavens!? Call every royal medicus at once!" her voice had a slight crack to it as she struggled to comprehend the state her daughter was in. Leaping from her position next to the thrones, she landed beside her with a little less grace than usual. As she used her innate magic to stop further bloodloss, River bounded towards them with thundering steps "Star! Oh Star.. my beloved daughter, w-what happened to you...?"

Jackie and Janna stood there, helplessly watching the exchange, while Marcos eyes were fixated on his closest friend. Unable to aid his wife any further at the moment, the king turned to the one he had entrusted his daughter to all this time. He grabbed Marco by his collar, and pulled his face to his. "What happened to her, boy?!" He all but shouted. First all River could see was despondence in the Human's eyes, but under that was something else.

"Please..." Marco rasped. "Just save her."

* * *

Star didn't understand where she was, or what was going on. She had been plagued by jumbled images straight from a fever deram, and had the distinct feeling of running through endless winding corridors, getting nowhere. Suddenly the floor swallowed her, and yelping in fright, she fell, only to land in a rectangular hole of dirt. She struggled to get her bearing, and found she had landed on something cold and... fleshy? Star screamed and recoiled when she saw it was a corpse, half-eaten by rats. What hoffified her even further was recognizing the torn and bloodied clolthes, the skirt the beanie, the black hair. It was Janna! Janna was dead!

"N-no this can't be! Janna...!" Star wanted to do something, anything, but it was too late. How did this happen, why did she let this happen?

"Aww, thats too bad princess..." Sneerd the smug voice of her longest adversary. Turning on her back, she saw Ludo, still in his clowncostume, standing at the edge of the grave. Tears were streaming down her face. "How could you do this to her, Ludo?! Didn't you get what you want?"

The beaked figure let out a mad cackle. "Trying to shift the blame, are we, miss Butterfly? It was you who made me your mortal enemy, and now you failed to protect your little friend there, what a shame. Now If you'll excuse me, I will leave you in her company." And with that, a large stone graveplate began closing the hole above her

"No, STOP!" But it was to no avail, as pitch black darkness enclosed her. Star began to weep, but was disturbed by movement next to her. Cold, dead arms tackled her to the ground, and grimy, disfigured hands grabbed her by the throat to strangle her. Every part of her screamd at her to fight back, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. _Please... Im sorry..._ was all she was able to coherently think, before she felt her consciousness being snuffed out.

* * *

There she was, floating before him, so close, yet incredibly far. The Queen had the doctors.. no, wait.. medicus? Anyway, they had put her in this chamber full of glowing crystals, the Queen called it the Chamber of Recovery. In the middle was a large, shaped crystal on the floor and an ever larger one on the cieling, and they glowed the brightest. Star was being suspended in some kind of magical field between them, while Two of the medicus ... or medici? They were working on her, and presumably checking her vitals with various mundane and arcane implements. A third one was working at what looked to be an alchemy table, if his expierience with videogames were to be believed. Probably working out tonics or salves to help the princess. Marco had to stand behind a crystalline safety glass, probably also a one-way mirror, as he watched them toiling around his... legless... bestie...

He could feel another crying fit coming on. Jackie's hand came to rest on his shoulder. She and Janna had been keeping him company, sitting in chairs in the hallway, while he mostly paced around, or stared through the crystal window. "Hey... Marco..." Jackie began. "I know all of this is super messed up, but I just want you to know, that the night before that was... really nice, and... Im here dude."

It was not lost on him that she was struggling to maintain a semblance of her usual breezy cool. The hispanic turned to her nevertheless, and accepted her emotional support, by all but falling into her arms. It was unfortunate that their first real date was overshadowed by such a tragic event, but the emotional connection they had made was still there all the same. And now, however premature, it seemed to hold under the weight they were facing, and he was glad not to be alone in this situation. While Marco's tears were wetting Jackie's shoulder, and she was stroking his back gingerly.

Janna acted aloof, but was very uncomfortable with the situation. She was tempted to make a clever remark, or a joke to lighten the situation, but quickly realized that wouldn't help, and found herself shamefully unable to be there for her friends. Earlier, when they were in the thick of it, she had been the first to act, unblinking in the face of surreal horror. She thrived on the morbid, the absurd, on japes and perverse humor, but couldn't seem to face real emotion. She mostly subverted emotional distress, rather than going through it, but that didn't always work.

When Marco regained his composure somewhat, he spoke a sincere thank you to Jackie, and shot a glance down the hall, where he spotted the king and queen walking towards them. They looked tired and still somwhat in distress, but like the royal couple they were, they were good at maintaining their composure. Marco felt like speaking the first word would be appropriate. "Your highnesses... can we, um, help somehow?"

"Well, ...Marco," the Queen replied, her tone somewhat distant. "we would like to speak to you and your friends about what _exactly_ happened that led to my daughter to... be so seriously injured."

Marco grimaced slightly, but nodded. Janna and Jackie did as well. Moon continued. "I haven't brought this up till now, because we were all preoccupied, but Marco, I would also ask you to bring Glossaryck, and the Book of Spells at the nearest opportunity, preferably right after this conversation."

Now Marco was definitely nervous. "Weeell, about that... Im afraid that won't be possible. I will explain it all..."

The best word to describe the Queen's expression was... incredulous. As for River, his expression definitely said _Oh no._ Though it was unclear wether it was regarding the book and Glossaryck, or the mental state of his wife. There was an awkward pause, where anyone would be afraid to so much as drop a pinhead.

River cleared his throat. "I think it would be best to continue this conversation in one of the meeting rooms, dont you agree... dear?" Moon nodded curtly and led the way down the corridor. Marco could tell this was going to be harrowing.

* * *

Star woke up with a start. She was in her room, back in the Diaz residence. Was that a nightmare? Ugh, why were things so confusing lately? For some reason, she felt really sick when looking at her legs. She got up, and the cool air creeped under her nightgown. Usually that was a pleasant, cozy feeling, but now it felt.. wrong. In fact, was this even her nightgown? It looked exactly like hers, but she was sure it wasn't, it didn't feel like hers. Star looked around her room, everything was as she remembered... or was it?

She uneasily walked through what _appeared_ to be the home of her bestie. The shadows looked a little too crooked, the air tasted a bit foul. No matter what she looked at, something felt off about it, it was almost like some insidious force had replaced everything she knew with a barely noticable fake of it. Whatever was going on, she needed to get a hold of herseld, she had lost herself to paranoia in the past, she will not repeat that mistake so easily. The unfamilliar creaking of the floorboards accompanied her all the way to the fridge, where she took a bite out of a sandwich that almost tasted edible.

"Star?" someone asked. She felt a shiver run through her, as she turned to face... Angie? Angie Diaz? Star calmed herself. "What are you doing up so late?" Mrs. Diaz asked. The princess looked pensive. "I'm not sure of that myself... I... feel like something weird is going on here." She said while pouring herself a glass of blood from the ...sink.

Angie seemed to be satisfied with that answer. "Allright sweetie, but try to go to bed and get some rest now. If there is anything on your mind, you know you can always tell me." the two females shared a smile, and went their separare ways again.

 _Huh. Maybe things aren't so... Wait... Did Angie always have those fleshy tendrils coming from her eyesockets?_

* * *

 ** _Every review and criticism is greatly appreciated._**

 ** _Also congrats for making it past the prologue, If you love our adorable ball of lightning as much as I do, that couldn't have been easy to read through.  
Or you delighted in it. I won't judge._**


	3. Verdict

_**Verdict**_

* * *

"So, just to be certain we understood correctly..."

Moon had not taken well to the details of the report the three teens had given her, but was mostly listening silently. River had been uncharacteristically silent, but other than that remained strong, for the sake of supporting his wife. Now the queen was recapping. "Star was fighting Ludo, a spell of hers backfired, creating an unknown vortex that threatened to consume her. Ludo took the chance to steal the Spellbook and Glossaryck, while you three tried to pull Star to safety, however, despite... what I'm sure were your best efforts..."

Shame crossed Marco's face. Her tone was not accusatory, but the boy in front of her would hardly refute her if she did. She was also reluctant at this part. "...she slipped from your grasp, the vortex closed when she was partially in it, which led to her... current condition. After that you immeadiately brought her here, using the dimentional scissors we found on you. Can you all attest to that?"

The three teens nodded, with varying emotions weighing on each of them. Moon held her face in her hands for a few moments, the gesture making her head seem so very heavy, before adressing them again. "Very well, thank you all for your valliant effort, and for bearing with us. I'm sure this is not easy on you ether."

Their faces spoke volumes.

"Janna and Jackie, you may return home now, Im sure you are missed. Though you are free to stay with us for a few days if you wish. The guards in front of the door can lead you to a room you can stay in, or to a portal back to Earth."

Jackie closed her eyes for a second, responding when she opened them again. "I should get back soon, or my folks will be worried. And they ask more uncomfortable questions when they are worried. I can stay for just a bit longer though, I think Im gonna take the chance to crash in one of those rooms. What about you, Janna?"

The raven-haired girl glanced off to the side. "Nah, I think I'm good. As much as I like sticking my nose in other people's buisness... I think I need a break from that." That was probably the most sincere they had seen her in a long time. That, or her act was very tired.

River joined in. "Marco, the same extends to you, though we would ask you to remain here a little longer. You'll be able to rejoin your friends soon."

The hispanic turned to Jackie, exchanged a look along the lines of "catch you later", and nodded to the queen. "I'll stay."

The royal couple nodded in approval, and after showing the two girls out, sat across from Marco again. He looked at them expectantly. They exchanged a look. The silence was uncomfortable.

"Allright, what can you tell me? Is Star going to... be ok?" hope and despondence fought a battle to the death on Marco's face.

Steeling herself once more, the matriarch prepared herself for a full disclosure. "For now, her condition is stable, but we can't be sure before the royal head medicus gives his report. If you stay with us for a bit longer, he should come in soon." For that, at least, Marco was glad. "However," River spoke, "we will have to keep her safe here on Mewni, keep her close so we can watch and guard her. I'm afraid Earth didn't turn out to be the safe haven we had hoped it to be for our only child."

"Im sorry it had to come to this." Moon said with bit of sadness, and an air of finality. Marco shook his head. "I get it. If I was in your place I would probably want to do anything to keep her safe too. Actually... I already do." His selfaware smile was marred by melancholy. "Anyway, what can I do to help? And how are things going to continue from now?"

The two mewmans were a bit taken aback by his readiness. River cleared his throat. "Marco, my boy, Im afraid you misunderstood... _We_ will handle things from now on. After your brief stay here, we fully expect you to head back to Earth, and stay there. You have a family and... a girlfriend, a life to come back to, and Star will return to hers. I believe shes had quite enough of earth life."

"...What?" Grim comprehension crept on the human's face like frost in a winter night.

"Marco, you must understand-" Moon tried to assuage, when there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

A man in practical green robes entered, bearing multiple pouches of various implements and substances, carrying a scroll. "Your highnesses, I am ready to give my report. Is now a good time?"

"Go ahead Gellfried." Moon allowed, putting the ire growing in the suited redbelt on hold.

"Her condition remains stable. We were able to close the skin around her wounds, and though she suffered near critical blood loss, she will probably recover. Her vitals are very weak, but constant. She remains comatose, and in the stasis field. There are, however, complications." He trailed off, winding the scroll a bit further.

"Is there any possibility of regenerating her legs, or scrying for the dimension the legs were lost to, and recover them?" The queen asked with trepidation.

Head medicus Gellfried shook his head regretfully. "Both of those posibillities were already explored, my queen. Tue to the Fritz our magical instruments and apparatus are barely working, and we are expending nearly all of our power crystals just to keep the chamber running. Furthermore our best diviners were unable to locate what realm the princesses legs could have gone to, much less if they were recoverable at all. One of them seemed to have gotten a lead, but..."

"But what?" The king prompted.

"...I'm afraid the Scryer in question went insane almost instantly. We had to restrain and sedate her."

Now that caught them off guard. Ihe Multiverse is vast, nigh anything is possible to encounter, when one decides to comb through it, but still, to have something like this happen so instantaniously to one of their most reliable specialists certainly didn't bode well. Nevertheless, they urged him to continue.

"Another concern is her mental state. After her wounds were sealed, and the pain supression enchantments were in place, we made a cursory effort to wake her, but found her in a persistant comatose state. What is most troubling is that it doesn't seem entirely natural, not unlike the effect of a powerful sleep spell. One of the Seers in your majesties employ was also able to determine that she is suffering from what appear to be intense nightmares. For now, we believe it is best not to try and force her awake, for that could result in even greater trauma. Right now we are running tests with soothing stones and various calming herbs." The medicus rolled up his scroll, signifying the end of his report.

The Queen took in the information, and nodded gravely. "Very well. Thank you Gellfried, you may return to your work now. I trust you will keep us informed of any significant development."

"Of course your Majesty."

And with that he saw himself out. When Moon turned back to Marco, he had a dark scowl on his face. She could only imagine what the human was going through, but her daughter and her people came first. "As I was saying-"

"You want me gone." He interrupted.

"Marco-"

"No, I get it. If Star hadn't been on Earth, you could have protected her. If I had been close to her, I could have done more..." The directionless anger and sadness, and the sense of failiure were driving tears into his eyes. "Maybe I failed to keep her out of trouble, maybe you are right to despise me and wanting me gone for failing your daughter, but at least let me help her now! There has to be something, anything I can do!"

"No Marco, this is nothing personal." The queen spoke coolly "We are simply taking the course of action that will be best for her safety, her future as queen, and the people of Mewnie. There is too much on the line to take any further chances. There are forces at work that are simply beyond you, maybe even beyond us, but it is best for all involved if you say your goodbyes, go your seperate way, and forget about all of this."

Marco shook. He wanted to say so much. Like how Star was the best and closest friend he ever had, and that he couldn't bear losing her, much less forget. Or how unhappy Star was with becoming queen to begin with, even without loosing her personal life and freedom like this. Or that he would stop at nothing if it was for her sake. Hold on...! ...stop at nothing...?

Since when did he feel so strongly?

* * *

Star was running through the abandoned nighttime streets of Echo Creek. She had completely lost track of where she was, and the pain in her legs was getting worse by the minute, but she kept running. Away from the Diaz household. Away from... everything! Why was she even here? Last she remembered she was at the graveyard with- _Janna_! Star felt sick. When did Janna even die? Didn't Ludo leave them when he got the...

Her train of thought died off when she saw the next horrific sight before her. Two fresh corpses with cracked skulls were drenching the flagstones in red. A Skateboard with a damaged wheel lay discarded, off to the side. Star didn't want to look at this scene, didn't want to take it in, yet couldn't help but do so. Her steps disobeyed her, pulling her closer, forcing her to see her dearest person in the multiverse, and his love interest, brutally murdered by her own selfish feelings before they could discover theirs.

The horrible images burned themselves into her consciousness, and the distraught princess couldn't take it any more, her mind awash in grief, shame, disbelief and self-loathing. Part of her brain tried to rationalize that this couldn't have happened because they were wearing helmets, and... didn't they make it to the graveyard? But that only drove her deeper into the dissonance she was suffering.

With her mind and feelings so addled, she barely noticed, much less cared about the two mewman guards arresting her, and dragging her off to nowhere. As she was dragged away like a sack of waste, the scene faded away into nothingness.

* * *

Marco swallowed his anger and his pride for the sake of his most meaningful friendship. Years of training his composure and determination were now coming into action, in the face of a queen mother, whose whole purpose seemed to be built around composure, and a king father whom he had come to know as the very soul of determination. If this conversation were a karate match, it would be the most important one in his life till now. He performed a bow and hand gesture he had internalized from karate class as an expression of great respect and humility. Hopefully the gesture would make it past the language barrier.

"Your highnesses, no matter how mundane, difficult, or dangerous the task is, I would be willing to take it on, if it meant staying to help Star recover. I could not forgive myself for not trying everything I can to be there for my friend."

Moon pinched the bridge of her nose. "Marco, It's not that we don't appreciate your willingness, and believe me, if I were to see a possibility of you aiding the recovery of my daughter, I would let you. But we have plenty of assistants, couriers, and whatnot, and the only type of aditional help we need would be more magic users, of various schools, seeing as how the two _single most important_ magical artifacts were _broken_ , and _lost_ respectively, along with the _only entity_ that may have the needed oversight, _and is now in enemy hands_!"

If Moon sounded stressed out before, It was now bordering on a royal freakout. The only thing seemingly keeping her grounded at this point, was the strong hand on her shoulder. The Queen's fit of despair took a turn for the gloomy when her manic episode turned into the mewman image of a wilting flower, all within the span of a few seconds. Faced with all of this, the king just seemed... broken.

Marco, still determined to contribute something of worth to the situation, latched onto something the queen had said, and blurted it out without much thought.

"Well, what if I were to learn magic?"

Both of their gazes snapped to him at once, before River just waved it off. "Now is not the time for your weird humor, boy."

Two seconds passed before realization set in.

"Wait... you were serious about that? Oh boy..." The born Johansen rubbed his crowned forehead, while Moon refused to acknowlege that notion at all, and Marco silently raised an eyebrow at their dismissal. "I'm not going to bother explaining to you how ridiculous that idea is, and even if it weren't, we can't spare a single one of our own practitioners to train you. But seeing as you are so determined..."

Both Moon and Marco shot him a questioning look for different reasons. "There is a wizard of sorts living at the edge of the kingdom, and we believe him to be one of the most formidable outside this castle, but he has been at odds with the royal family for decades-"

"Not him!" Moon objected. "He has refused to help us countless times, and though we lack evidence, we suspect him of actively impeding our progress on multiple accounts, as well as dabbling in questionable practices. The only reason he is tolerated is because he seems to benefit the citizens around him occasionally, and expelling him without a well founded claim would paint us in a bad light, and may allow others to incite revolt. We still keep a close eye on him however."

Trying to make sense of all this, Marco turned to the King again. "So your intention was for me to go to this wizard guy, and what? Beg on your behalf?" That probably came out a little more venomous than he intended.

River narrowed his Eyes. "That's all we can offer. If you can convince that stubborn codger to aid his kingdom for once, you'll have done more than enough. If not, then so be it, we didn't expect his help to begin with. Now go, this meeting has gone on long enough and we grow tired of this back and forth. You are free to go and do as you like, but don't get in the way, and don't overstay your welcome! Are we clear, boy?"

The 'boy' in question had his fists and teeth clenched, his expression soured, but restrained. It would have to do.

"Clear. Your highness."

"Good." The Queen also semed to be ok with that resolution. The two of them were already taking their leave, when Marco pointed out that they hadn't even provided him with a name, much less directions.

"Aungier. The guards can point you to him."

* * *

 _ **Every review and criticism is greatly appreciated.**_


	4. Shadowy Encounters

_**Shadowy Encounters**_

* * *

Marco sat in the guest room he was assigned, texting his parents that Star was injured, and he would be spending a couple of days at the castle. Except he couldn't, because of course there was no Earth reception on Mewnie. With a grunt of frustration he threw the useless device onto the bed that was prepared for him.

The disgruntled teen paced around the room, ruminating about the situation. The style of the room reminded him too much of Star's massive room back home, except all of her mess was missing. And all the whacky, zany creatures that would hold wrestling matches from time to time.

A drawn-out sigh escaped him.

And of course, it reminded him of the fact that it would _cease_ to be her room, and he would _never_ see her again if her parents got their way. She would spend the rest of her life in Mewnie castle, stuck in her nightmare of slowly becoming queen, away from _everything he knew she loved_ about her life! Adventures, partying, hanging with friends from all across the multiverse, going to school together, walking the laser puppies, friendship thursday, eating nachos together, hugging... _wow... we hugged a lit, didn't we?_ He thought absentmindetly for a second. He shook his head. Anyway, what if...

 _oh no._

A terrible thought ocurred to him. What if all the magic they had wasn't sufficient enough to give Star her legs back? Even if she used prosthetics, would she ever recover from the impact it would have on her psyche? What if she would remain forever crippled like this, unable to prance and dance and hop and skip and jump around with her own two legs like she so very much loved to to? What if she would never be able to run away from the problems and stresses that plague her without the mercy of others? He wouldn't even see her become a sad shell of the happy, fun-loving, hyperactive Star he had come to know so well, and all of that because he couldn't hold on to her for a _fucking second_ longer?

No.

Never!

No way in _hell_ would he let things turn out that way!

He swore to himself right then and there, that he would find a way to fix this terrible mess that he couldn't prevent. No matter if he himself or anyone else would be able to forgive him in the end, he would make everything right again, or die trying.

Funny how someone who was known as the 'Safe kid' for much of his life could come to such an ardent resolution, but Star was always there when he really needed her, he wouldn't forsake her now!

During their numerous adventures through different dimensions, the danger had always been very real, and come to think of it, they had even stared death in the face on more than one occasion, but somehow this time was... _different_. They had always been there for eachother, always pulled through together, and got to laugh about it in the end. But not this time.

His troubled thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock on his door. He took a deep breath, trying his best to appear less burdened to his visitor. "Come in." He called.

Jackie Lynn Thomas poked her head in through the door. "Marco? You alive in here?" She asked, flavoring her concern with mild humor. Marco sighed. "Hey Jackie. Yeah, I think I am." He said with a weak laugh, which was more to fool himself.

"Okay," Jackie walked up to him, looking him square in the eyes. "...seriously though how are you holding up?"

Marco thought for a moment. He didn't want to burden Jackie with all of his turmoil, but he figured she deserved to know something.

"Well, I'm... really worried about Star, and what all of this will do to her, and..."

The pause, and Marco's embittered expression told the girl all she needed to know.

"Dude, come on... don't blame yourself for this. I was the one who asked you out and caused you to be away from her, If anything, I'm the one who-"

"No Jackie. I won't let you put the blame on yourself either. It was still my choice, and besides, Star and I agreed to go first so...I- I mean It's not that I regret going with you, but I... I wish I could... dammit..."

Jacke Lynn Thomas looked thoughtful. Finally she grabbed his shoulders, directing his attention towards her. "Look Marco, neither of us could have seen this coming. I wish I could stay longer, but I really need to go home, my parents are probably worried enough by now. Just... promise me you won't beat yourself up over this, okay? ...Marco?"

He heaved a heavy sigh and heeded her. It would be pointless to argue blame now, especially with Jacke when she was like this. "Okay." He relented.

"Promise me." She prodded.

"I promise I won't beat myself up over what happened." He said tiredly, but with just a hint of relief.

"Thats better." Jackie said with a smile, which Marco reciprocated.

Now It was his turn to ask something. "Jackie, could you tell my parents not to worry, and that I'll be staying here for a few days to look after Star?"

"Will do." She assured. "See you soon, okay?"

She hugged him, and Marco returned it, grateful for the gesture. "Yeah, see you soon." And with that she left, pausing to look back only once at the door.

Marco looked out of his quarters at the mewni moons. He had spent the rest of the short evening at the crystal chamber window, and in this room, feeling rather miserable and useless. But Jackie was right. No time to dwell on things, Star needed him now more than ever. Come morning he would seek out this reclusive practitioner of magic called ...Aungier? Yes, that was it. From the guard's directions Marco had already worked out that it was a small tower he could see in the distance from his window.

Now he needed to rest, so he got ready for bed, which mainly consisted of him taking his finery off and folding it for tomorrow. Events had left him exhausted, and he had a feeling he would be needing all the strength he could muster. Retiring into the finely crafted and woven timber and cloth that served as his bed, he finally managed to put his ruminating mind to rest. For now.

* * *

Darkness. She should be familliar with it by now, accustomed to its embrace. But this was the kind of darkness that granted you no peace as it held you, writhing like boneless limbs, making every touch of it feel like a violation. Reprieve from the darkness came in the form of a sickening green glow from below, casting itsself on her surroundings, revealing them to be a twisted version of the Mewnie Castle dungeon. To her dismay Star found herself bound at the wrists by rusty chains, hanging by them in the center of a tall, circular chamber. The Cobblestone walls held many alcoves, shrouded in shadow. A lone figure emerged in one.

Star gasped. "M-Mom?"

"Hello daughter." She uttered, cold dissapointment oozing from her voice. Star felt her stomach churn at being treated so callously.

"What is going on here? Can someone please help me?" The fourteen year old looked around, but saw neither answers, nor help.

"I'm afraid there is no more helping you, child. You were to be given the capital punishment, and put to death by the axe for the murders you comitted, and the terrible shame you have brought on the kingdom." The figure of queen Moon spoke as if she was merely telling the weather

"..what...?" Her voice was small and hurt.

"However... I managed to convince the court to lessen your punishment. You will now be crippled, as we boil your legs into magical essence."

That prompted Star to look below, and see the source of the green glow. It was a huge cauldron, bubbling and fuming with a spiraling malicous brew, intended to melt her flesh and bone. Primal fear welled up, and spiked as she felt herself being lowered towards it at an unbearably slow rate.

Star begged and screamed, but found her body paralyzed and the figure of her mother uncaring. At one point she called to her dad, only to find out that he was the one lowering the chains from a winch, a vacant expression on his face.

Star wept, at the end of her strength. How could all of this be happening? Maybe it would be best to give in, as her mother kepr telling her. If she had just obeyed her, and fulfilled her duties in the first place, she wouldn't be in this situation. And then Janna would still be alive. And Jackie. and Marco... wait... Marco?

Something dawned on her. Janna was okay when the rats left. Jackie made it safely to the cemetary after her fall. And Marco even held her hand when she was about to- She gasped. _The vortex._ The swirling brew below her looked suspicously similar to it. And how had she not noticed that the featutes of what seemed to be her parents were odd and misshapen? Star furrowed her brows, and allowed her heart to rebell against the reality that was presented to her. She channeled her spirit into a single shout.

"STOP!"

The chains stopped, despite "her dad" straining against the winch to lower her further. "Her mom" raised an eyebrow at this.

"You are not real. None of this is real." She stated unflinchingly. "Now I command this nightmare to end!"

The dungeon vanished. The Chains vanished. The fake king vanished. The cauldron vanished. Gravity ceaced. Only the mockery of her mom remained before her in the void.

The being that was crudely wearing moon's face smiled so wide, it tore itsself a smile from ear to ear.

 **"Well done, small one. Your mind is strong, for a worm your size"**

Its voice was oily and putrid, threatening to infect her mind with madness at every syllable. Despite herself, star faced it. "What do you want with me, creep?" She asked, maintaining the edge in her voice, as it was the only thing she could wield right now.

It tilted it's head at an unnatural angle in answer to her query.

 **"Are you not the one who called upon me? The sacrifice you provided was delectable. I am simply here to claim what is mine."**

Star shook her head uncomprehendingly and focused on speaking as sternly as possible.

"Look, If you are a demon, you can pack up your illusions, and your dark magic, and go right back to the underworld. I never summoned you, and I never made a pact with you, so you shove off right now!"

 **"INSOLENT CREATURE!"**

What happened next, she didn't expect. The being before her exploded outwards, becoming one with the darkness, or rather, revealing itsself to have been it the whole time. Its presence was opressive, nearly crushing her under its weight, ravaging her skin with its mere touch.

 **"You dare adress me as you would such miserable bottomfeeders? Do you not know what you face?"**

Star fought back, but wrestling the void was an impossible task. She wanted to say something, but it was getting hard to breathe.

 **"I will collect my due, and after enjoying that, I will punish you for your foolishness."**

The way it said those words disturbed her even more than the words themselves. Star squirmed uselessly. She might as well not be wearing any clolthes, for they did nothing to insulate her from the encroaching grip of the oily darkness.

 **"I will make you bend to me."**

* * *

Marco made his way through the busling, dirty streets of the lower market, paying no heed to the locals, the various goods, or the freakshow of curios, oddities, and things he was unsure wether or not to cosider edible. Only the castle tower where he knew Star to be drew his gaze for a moment. The teen had suffered a nightmare about her last night, something about her being attacked by a terrible monster shrouded in darkness. He had also seen the Blood Moon.

Marco shook his head. Dreams with Star and the Blood Moon in them were best left ignored, he had learned that soon after the ball. Some were nice enough, and felt like a relaxed, friendly conversation between the two, though most left rather awkward implications, and some were... well... raunchy.

Marco reddened at the thought of them, and banished them just as quick. He blamed stupid teen hormones, and maybe a bit of whatever demon magic was going on back there.

The redbelt refocused his attention to the small, cobbled tower he was coming up to. Puffs of smoke were coming out of the crooked chimney, as if the whole building was leisurly smoking a pipe. A brass-bronze telescope was sticking out of the highest window, affixed to a point in the sky he was almost sure was not arbitrary. Symbols of the sun and the moons were carved into the rustic wooden door. Okay. Time to knock. Before he had finished lifting his hand, the door opened inwards, revealing a dark-skinned face where Marco's knuckles were about to hit.

"I would advise against that." The swarthy man said with a hint of amusement. A turban adorned his head, he was clad in ornate, yet comfotable looking robes, and a peculiar dagger hung from his hip. Marco thought he could see a Skull with a candle melted on top of it on a table behind him, but a raised brow pulled his attention back.

Marco lamely put his arm down, shuffled in place for a bit, and stood straight again.

"Um, greetings sir, are you the wizard named Aungier? I have come to ask for your help for my friend..."

The man stroked his pointed beard, in no hurry to answer him. "I am who you seek, and I suspect I know why you are here. But first, why don't you come inside?" Hesitant, but unwilling to let the opportunity pass, Marco followed him into his dimly lit abode "And for the record, I am not a 'wizrard', as some like to put it."

"What are you then?" Marco asked, curious where this would go. Aungier turned to him, a spark in his eyes.

"Call me... an Occultist."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you for the review, dear guest, I would have answered you personally If I could. The Occultist will not be the only one to join this quest. I hope this chapter gives you but a glimpse of what is to come, but the true madness made reality lies yet ahead of us.**_

 _ **Every review and criticism is greatly appreciated.**_


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